Macaw chewing

[kme3388]

Not sure if others have experienced this but we’ve had to replace a lot of stands/trees since we’ve adopted Blue. He can chew through these stands within an hour if he’s really focused. I’m sure it’s good for his beak. It’s very expensive to replace stands/trees. We’ve started building our own. Have others used PVC pipe for macaws? A photo is below. He just demolishes stands!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Wow! That SURE can get expensive! A good way to keep strangers away from him too- only a fool would try to steal a parrot that splinters logs with his beak for fun!

Manzanita wood is very hard. Can Blue chew up manzanita? Theres a wood called Iron Wood that's supposed to be indestructible. There's always PVC of course and there's a link somewhere on Parrot Forums about making your own playstands and toys from PVC. I just wonder if it would frustrate Blue to have a perch or tree he couldn't destroy.

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

My B&G is not a huge chewer of his manzanita perches. He struggles to rip the bark off, but that is about as far as he gets (maybe a bit on the very ends). His pine chew toys are easily chomped through.

Stick to manzanita wood for maximum durability.

 

[kme3388]

Wow! That SURE can get expensive! A good way to keep strangers away from him too- only a fool would try to steal a parrot that splinters logs with his beak for fun!

Manzanita wood is very hard. Can Blue chew up manzanita? Theres a wood called Iron Wood that's supposed to be indestructible. There's always PVC of course and there's a link somewhere on Parrot Forums about making your own playstands and toys from PVC. I just wonder if it would frustrate Blue to have a perch or tree he couldn't destroy.

If someone wants to steal my macaw I wish them the best of luck. They are going to bring him back. He is not friendly at all to strangers, and he has a nasty bite. I have to have a parrot room for my larger parrots that I can lock at all times in fear that my nieces and nephews that are all around 10 years old may stick their hands in my larger parrots cage. I always have them locked away when guests are over. None of parrots are friendly to strangers for whatever reason. I just protect them from biting others for liability purposes. If they get ahold of me I asked for it!

 

[kme3388]

My B&G is not a huge chewer of his manzanita perches. He struggles to rip the bark off, but that is about as far as he gets (maybe a bit on the very ends). His pine chew toys are easily chomped through.

Stick to manzanita wood for maximum durability.

What do you use for perches? I know Java wood is no challenge to Blue. He really hasn’t destroyed toys. He just destroys his stands as he’s standing on them then gets mad when they break

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

I have had my manzanita perches for decades, but just did a search. I found a place that offers manzanita playstand DIY kits. Maybe contact them for a quote?

Custom Manzanita Wood Pieces from Manza Bird Products Manzanita Hardwood Custom Items

Hardwood Manzanita custom pieces for aviaries, bird cages, woodworking and hardwood crafting from Manza Bird Products.

manzabirdproducts.com

I found another supplier of thick manzanita perches that might be worth exploring:

Manzanita Burlworks - Bird Perches - Pre Cut - Natural Red

Thick manzanita perches for macaws are heavy, so factor in shipping costs. They aren’t inexpensive, but thick perches last a loooong time (unless your bird truly is a tropical termite!).

 

[kme3388]

I have had my manzanita perches for decades, but just did a search. I found a place that offers manzanita playstand DIY kits. Maybe contact them for a quote?

Custom Manzanita Wood Pieces from Manza Bird Products Manzanita Hardwood Custom Items

Hardwood Manzanita custom pieces for aviaries, bird cages, woodworking and hardwood crafting from Manza Bird Products.

manzabirdproducts.com

I found another supplier of thick manzanita perches that might be worth exploring:

Manzanita Burlworks - Bird Perches - Pre Cut - Natural Red

Thick manzanita perches for macaws are heavy, so factor in shipping costs. They aren’t inexpensive, but thick perches last a loooong time (unless your bird truly is a tropical termite!).

May I ask how your macaws hormones are? Today Blue was slamming his food bowls against the side of his cage after throwing them to the bottom. Then he was biting his cage bars at us. Then about an hour later he was saying step up, so I took him out as usual. He snuggled, and seemed fine. Is this cage aggressive behavior? Playing? Hormones that come, and go?

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

My bird’s behavior is consistent day to day, year to year. I could not tell you when hormonal season is. I have never experienced what you described. Perhaps your bird is possessed? May this phase pass quickly for your sanity!

 

[kme3388]

My bird’s behavior is consistent day to day, year to year. I could not tell you when hormonal season is. I have never experienced what you described. Perhaps your bird is possessed? May this phase pass quickly for your sanity!

You are incredibly lucky. Both my conures, my Ekkie, and Blue are hormonal. My conures are mating. I know what to expect from 3 of them. With Blue it’s my first time experiencing this. He looks so angry, but once he is out of his cage is happy. He grabbed a magazine from me today when I was cleaning his cage, and started ripping it apart while laughing. I can’t tell if he’s being a clown, or actually being aggressive.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

You could make a PVC stand and add branches that he can destroy. Just requires some creativity to invent something that works!

 

[smwboxer]

LOL, I give my military’s entire trees to destroy. A Macaw is gonna do what a macaw is gonna do!

 

[HarleY 06]

Natural trees are your answer. Go to whatever ends you need, in your search for living wood. Where I live I have numerous strands of Ironbark trees, plus have the bonus of being friendly with a firewood seller. In the planted Mulberry trees which I grew, and now control their growth in anual pruning. The prunings are cut down to 5 -6 inch "sticks" - every day my macaws enjoy and devour them when ever. When aggressive, they quickly destroy ( or throw them back).Believe me the mess is worth it!!!
Wherever you live you can find timber of such type particular to your area, state etc; spend the time to acquire something most Macaws need. Unfortunately past and present breeders omit this requirement, replacing it with the industry of bird toys.